Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-07-08

fame throughout the nation As a jurist
he was strong, able, positive, and his name
will always have a deserved place in the
list Of men who have filled with distinction
the office Of chief justice Of our state
courts. During his period Of service at the
national capital no man in the country was
better known or attracted more attention
than did Judge Poland through his acknowl-
edged ability, his large grasp Of public af-
fairs, his dignified presence, and his strik
ing figure, clad in the traditional blue coat
and brass buttons. His impress, as noted
above, is left upon some Of the most i'm
portant measures which came before Con
gress during his term Of service.
In 1873, when a member Of the Vermont
legislature, Judge Poland was a candidate
for Mr.. Morrils place as United States SEN
ator but the public sentiment of the state
was true to Mr. Morrill, a fact which Judge
Poland's political astuteness made him fully
conscious of as the time of the election
drew near, and he Withdrew his name in an
unfortunately -worded letter printed the
night before the election, in which he so
far lost control of his personal feeling as to
intimate that Mr.. Morrill, had held the of
fee long enough aud was old enough to re
tire. During the vote in the House next
day he remained silent when his name was
called. In 1856 he was opposed to Senator
Edmundss reelection, though not himself
candidate.
When the Judge was brought forward for
the Congressional candidacy in 1889, eight
years after the Dennison bolt, and his nom
nation finally carried in the convention, the
movement was felt to be a mistake by most
Of the younger men Of the party, and their
feeling was justified when the result Of the
election showed that he had received only
some 400 majority, as against the 5000 or
5000 which was the legitimate Republican
majority of the district. His election on this
occasion was only accomplished by the 10y
atty to him Of Windham and Windsor coun-
ties, his old-time staunch supporters The
result of this election showed Enthusiastically
what was the sentiment of the district, and
when his term was over Judge Poland with
drew to private life What were the caus-
es which led to the decline of his political
fortunes this is not the place to discuss 1t
is enough to say that, like other men of
large intellect, Judge Poland had his weak
nesses, and perhaps the most conspicuous
of these was an inclination to look at too
many of the acts of his public life with a
view as to how they might affect his own
personal fortunes In other words, with all
his ability, he was not cast in the mould
which produces men capable of rising II
the heights of realstatesmanship. His &c
ton in the salary grab episode of 1874
is a case in point.
The friends of his own time and genera
ton overlooked much because they so thor
oughly appreciated and admired his great
ability and unique personality, and of such
friends he nowhere had more than in Wind
ham county. In coming years, when al
personal feeling has died away and been
forgotten with the causes which inspired it
Judge Poland will be given place in Yer
mont history a. a strong and useful man ii
a time when the state demanded the best
from all her children.